Jenson Button loves 'unforgiving' Monaco circuit

Jenson Button has revealed he no longer attempts practice laps of Monaco in the simulator as it makes him feel sick.

Button has previously tamed the streets of the principality, winning the 2009 showpiece en route to clinching the title that year with Brawn GP.

But when it comes to putting in the hours in the simulator in a bid to prepare for the event, Button instead passes and allows McLaren tester Oliver Turvey to gather all the data he can then pore over.

With Monaco's experience almost certain to be different for all the drivers in Formula One this year given the cars now possess 1.6-litre V6 turbo-charged power units, Button will instead have to rely on his natural instincts.

Asked for his assessment of Monaco this year in the simulator, Button said: "I honestly can't give you an answer as I haven't driven in the simulator.

"Nor did I drive last year's car in the simulator, nor the year before that.

"That's because I can't drive around Monaco in the simulator because I get sick, so it's one I miss.

"Oliver Turvey has been in it a lot though - poor guy!

"But I don't know why I can't drive it, I just get sick. It used to be the same with Hungary as well, but we've changed it (the settings) so I can drive it now."

Assessing what he is likely to experience this weekend, Button added: "Oliver has done a lot of work and he says it's more difficult to drive due to the amount of torque.

"I think we'll manage okay, but if it's wet it's going to be very tricky because there is no high speed so you can't get heat into the tyres, and with so much torque it will be very, very tough."

For Button, though, nothing beats the overall experience of driving around the tax haven's tight, twisty roads and brushing the barriers that line the track, with no margin for error.

"I always love driving out of the pits here and getting to grips with this place," added Button.

"Your heartbeat is 10 to 15 beats higher than any other circuit, and I love that here.